Tyler Perry has issued a groveling public appeal to his fans to see his new movie Alex Cross after the film was hit with several bad reviews.

The actor/director is best known for his onscreen drag creation Mabel 'Madea' Simmons, but he has swapped comedy for drama in the dark new thriller, based on the character of James Patterson's best-selling crime novels.

Cross has previously been played by acclaimed actor Morgan Freeman, in thrillers such as Kiss The Girls and Along Came A Spider, and movie critics have been drawing unfavorable comparisons with Perry's new incarnation of the beloved detective.

David Germain of the Associated Press calls the new movie "a bust; boring hero, boring psycho, boring action" adding, "It's also perfectly reasonable to say that casting Perry as Cross was a bad idea... Perry is low-key bordering on sleepwalker dull."

Betsy Sharkey of the Los Angeles Times writes, "Some of the dialog is so bad it's like an SNL (Saturday Night Live) skit gone south. Then, just as you begin to think that maybe Alex Cross is supposed to be a comedy, something serious, like a funeral, will happen."

Perry is unimpressed with the slew of negative reviews and he has taken to his official blog to tell fans to ignore the critics and head to the cinemas for the movie's opening weekend in America.

He writes, "There are a lot of people who think I can't do this. There are also a lot of people who think you won't show up because I'm not playing Madea. There are also a lot of people who are working overtime to try to discourage you from seeing Alex Cross as they do with all of my films... I'm hoping you'll prove them all wrong... I'm so hoping you are planning on going out to see Alex Cross this weekend... You know that the opening weekend is how you're judged in Hollywood. So if you can, please try to get out this weekend. Be sure to check your ticket stubs to make certain they say Alex Cross... You're the real critics...

"I know you may not know this, but there is a lot riding on this film. This is the first time that I have ever been considered for a role like this. Hollywood has never even offered it to me. I've done my best and I've done all I can. It's in your hands now... Take someone with you if you can. This is an experience that should be shared."